Body construction, especially for railway cars



April 8, 1950 R. J. THERIAULT 2,504,658

BODY CONSTUCTION, ESPECIALLY FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l 34-"' 15, '34, T-I J| T I %1 i---? 17 w H g 7 if? 7 4o 25 1 L L 1 L 1 l .f3 E T 2| E l i i L,J.l E E E are X i I ,4---

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April 18, 1950 Filed March 2, 1945 INVENTOR Rdymond lTheriauH BY ATTORNF CFICI? Patented Apr. 18, 1950 BODY CONSTRUCTION, ESPECIALLY FOR RAILWAY CARS Raymond J. Theriault, Glenside, Pa., assignor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation oi Pennsylvania Application March 2, 1945, Serial No. 580,647

9 Claims.

The invention refers to the construction of vehicle bodies, such as railway cars, and more specifically the formation of the underframe along its longitudinal side margins as well as to the connection between the underframe and adjoining side walls.

Among the objects of the invention is such a formation of the longitudinal marginal portions of the underframe that the component parts may be easily and cheaply manufactured and assembled, and so that the underframe may be easily and strongly connected to the adjoining side walls.

The aforesaid and other objects and advantages of the invention are outstandingly achieved by a new formation of the longitudinal side rails of the underframe and of their connection with the supporting floor and cross beam structure thereof.

An important feature of the invention consists in a side rail of inwardly facing channel section which is combined with transverse underframe members telescoping with their ends into the U-section and secured to the walls thereof. This U-section side rail is provided along at least one of its margins with a generally vertical web or an angle section which serves for further reinforcement and for the attachment to lower portions of certain cross members.

Certain features of the invention'are related to the subject matter of the application of W. B.

Dean on Body for vehicles especially for rail cars,

filed Serial No. 580,646, simultaneously herewith.

The invention, as well as its details and further objects and advantages thereof, will be more easily understood from the embodiment illustrated in the attached drawing and described hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan View of one end of a vehicle body showing the general location of the center sill and of main cross members of the underframe;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section along lines 22 of Figures 1, 3 and 4 on a larger scale showing the formation of the underframe and the adjoining side wall at one of the lower side margins of the body in the region of a needle beam;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken along and viewed in the direction of the arrows on lines 33 of Figures 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view partly in section along lines 44 of Figures 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a section along line 5-5 of Fig. 1 which is similar to Fig. 2 but shows the construction at a bolster beam;

Fig. 6 is a plan view partly in section along line 6-6 ofFig. 5; and

(Cl. HIS-$97) Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic section along lines I-J of Fig. 1.

The underframe comprises a center sill ID, a bolster beam II and one or more so-called needle beams or cross bearers I2 between the bolster beams and secured to the center sill.

Shear panels extending over the width of the underframe consist inboard of the bolster beams I l of channel section pans I3, Figures 3 and 7 and outboard of the bolster beams I I of angle or Z-section members I4, Fig. 7. The pans I3 have horizontally arranged bottom walls or webs I5 and transversely extending upright side walls or webs I6 provided along their free margins with horizontal flanges H. The pans are secured together by their adjoining side walls It preferably by means of spot welding. The members I4 overlap each other by marginal portions of one of their arms I 8 whereas their other transversely extending vertical arms or webs is are each provided with a horizontal flange 20. The member I4 adjacent the bolster beam is provided along both margins with upright arms or webs I9 and marginal flanges 29 so that it constitutes a U-section.

The bottom walls or arms I 5, I8 of the members I3, It constitute together a horizontal main web extending over a major portion of the length of the underframe. This main web is reinforced by the vertical webs and arms I6, I9 which extend transversely to and are spaced in the longitudinal direction of the underframe.

The bolster beam II is, a box sectional struc ture having vertical walls 2i, a bottom plate 22 and a top plate 23, Figure 7.

The needle beam or cross bearer I2 comprises longitudinally spaced vertical webs or side walls 24 provided with flanges 25 along their lower margins, and a bottom plate 26 connected, such as by welding, to the flanges 25. The floor pans l3 and members I8 are connected respectively by their adjoining walls I6 and I9 to the side walls 2| and 24 of the bolster and transverse beams I I, I2, see Figures 3 and 7.

A side sill 21 arranged along each lower longitudinal margin of the body is connected with the transverse beams II, l2 and the floor members I3, I4. Each of these sills 2'! has an inwardly facing channel section portion with an inwardly directed upper arm 28, a vertically arranged bottom wall 29 and a lower inwardly directed wall 30. The wall 30 is continued by a downwardly directed web or flange 3| and an inwardly directed flange 32. The channel section portion 28, 29, 30 is of such width as totelescopingly fit over the ends of the floor members strong and rigid so as to adapt the sill for the connection with the lower .inarg'inal portion -zof the side wall. 7

. Brackets 33 may be inserted into andsecured to the side walls of some pr mostof1the'flonr pans and secured to the sill 21 so as 'toiurther strengthen the marginal portions of the underframe.

The side wall has the lower ends of its posts 'fblack dots.

4 wall sill and form an additional reinforcement for the underframe and side wall joint.

The connection between the posts 34 and the sill 35 and thereby between side wall and underframe is strengthened by brackets 46, welded spacers 4.1 and reinforcing ,plates 48. 49 is a rubsrail secured -to the :outside of the' sill 35 and the gussets 39. 'See Figures 2, 5 and 6. V

The illustrated and described structure consists mostly of sheet material such as high-tenrsiiegstainless steel. Most of the connections are rma'de by electric spot welding as indicated in the drawing by asterisks or, at the interfaces, by An exception is the bolster beam 'wiihichmay 'be fusion, such as are welded from ordinary or alloy steel other than @austenitlc :stainless steel.

34 connected to a side wall sill 35 of z secti'on having an inner vertical arm 36 secured to the *inside .of the :posts 34. ;a;ho rizonta1 web 31 severlying the lower ends of the posts and aneuter idepenjdingarm 38 connected by ,a plate ior plates 39.47;) the ;outside ;of the posts. The web island iside walls :constitutes part'of the subject matte .of the simultaneously .filed application for WHJB. Dean to which reference was .had hereinbefore. The a'height of the bolster ll atitsouter end tequals "about the r vertioal distance between .top

;arm 28 and the bottom fiange 32 of "the underframe side vsill and the end of the bolsterisprogylded with an --ofiset .or rzfor-med end plate All .-,so that the bolster .end snugly fitsIinto sands-rests qwithits top, .end and .Lbottom plates 23., A l, 22 .against vthe inner surface of the .sidesills :2-1. upwardly projecting flange onplateAl ,welded to the top of- -the-jbolster :near the .=latters.end, .-.overlaps and-'issecured toethe arm 36..of. the side .wallsill. :The firm connection betweenthe :bdl- :ster, the underf ran e .side si1l. .and the side wall -;.established .by three rows tor-rivets 1.42 which .ex- "tend through the .end..plate40 and the flange Al nf thebolster .beam and 'throughthe adjoining qwalls, 'platesrand arms .29, .38, .39.; .3] ..and. 36 ,of

the side sills 21' and QSeeFigure The .needle beams lorcrosswbearers J2 endgust "inside.cftheplanerdefined bythedepending web 7 3| of the under'frame side e111. Thewebs ,24..of .the needle beam are connected by angle sec- ";tion members or flanges- 13 to an end.1o.late .-4i4 which. overlaps JELlld connected jto ,the 'downwardly directed .web 3i :of the .side s'ill. The

. plate. 44 :projects upwardly-..above the .shearpanel [l3 and the projecting portion jre sts .against and issecured in final assembly to the insideof arm 133 .ofthe sidewall-sill, FiguresZto 4. The flanges '25 and the bottom .plate '26 ref the-cross bearer everlap top -and bdttom.,;of the flange 32 :ofthe ;.underfr.ame .s'ill and are connected .thereto, QFig- 1113.2.

' .Alhorizontalplate .craplates' fimayaextend .over jthefentirelength of Jthebody. or .mayibewrestricted to regions of great stress. The plate .or',plates 45 are secured tothe top .arm 38.01 the .un'derframe .sill, the iflanges .11, 20 .off .thefiioor pans, andthe jibrackets 933. .Atthe location .of the bolster .and needlebeamsthe innerpartlof the plate o-r ,plates 145 .are cut .out, for the passage of the .flange 5M andiihe rla e i474. Indira assembbc it'h rla r plates 45 are secured to the web"31of-tlie side The described and illustrated invention is susceptible to many modifications and adaptations which are covered by the attached claims.

What is claimed :is: V .:-1. In a :vehi-cle body... an 'underf-ram'e structure shaving transverse ::members and a side ;sill,.,said isidc ssill havingsan inwardly facing channel sec- -.tion .portien of :such width as to 'telescopingly fit over the ends of said transverse members and ':being providedsat least alongoneof the margins tof :the channel section :with :an upright web adj.oined :by :an inwardly .zdirecltednfiange son-as to stermz-with the .side wall along *thegother margin 0f .the :silLa FSBCOll-d channel .of greater "width for the reception :of1:a-nd iconnection with transverse members of greater height than :the aferesaid :transverse members.

i-In i311 ;underframeiforiland vehicles, such as JEELHWEW .cars, rashear :panel *h'aving horizontally iaiirangedzpcrtiens sand transversely extending .upmight-webs, a side sill having an inwardly fac- -:in.s :channel section 'zportion provided :along its lower horizontal wail witha adownwardly projecting flange, the height :oi-sa'idrchannel section ;;portion being *prac'ticallylequal .to the height-of :seid shear :panel with its upright webs at the souteraends thereof, the shear apanel telescopingly ifitti-ng'i-nto.ztheechannel:section portion and being istructurally connected at top :and bottom with the horizontally,aarrangedsside walls of thechan- -nel section.

' In a vehicle undefframe, such as for-railway zcars, a side sill and a transverse beam, said Side sill having ;an.inwardly facing channel secizion and :adown-wardlyextending flange or web fiilong .the inner margin of its lower side wall, :saiidtmnsversebeam haying-anend wall shaped vicerrespending to iand iconnec'ted with the bottom wall and the lower Wall of the channelsection :portion and :to the flange of the sill and 'iitting against and .being secured to at least some of :mid waflls andflangeio'f the sill.

4. In a vehicle underframe, such as for-rail- -W-ay :cars, a side sill and a transverse beam, said :sid'esillihaving an inwardly facing channel sec- .tionianda dcwnwardlyextending flange along ftheainner 'marginpf its lower side wall, said beam having an end wallshaped-corresponding to the dmttomavall and lower wall of the channel secztionand tothe 'flangeon and resting and being secured to at least some of thes'amemnd a flange or :plate secured to the top of the beam which channel, a transverse beam having longitudinally spaced upright side walls which end at said flange of the side sill, an end plate secured to the side walls of the beam overlapping said flange of the side sill and being secured thereto.

6. In a body for vehicles, such as railway cars, a side sill having an inwardly facing channel section portion and a vertically arranged flange or Web along at least one of the side walls of the channel, a transverse beam having longitudinally spaced upright side walls which end at said flange of the side sill, an end plate secured to the side Walls of the beam, overlapping said flange of the side sill and being secured thereto, said plate extending upwardly beyond the top of the beam for connection to the inside of an adjoining side wall.

7. In a vehicle body, such as a railway car body, a floor panel reinforced by upright transverse webs which are spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the body, a side sill having an angle section portion facing inwardly toward the center of the body and downwardly toward the ground, the arms of the angle section overlapping the end and top margins of said panel and its reinforcing webs, a body side wall arranged on top of and secured to said sill, an extension of the inwardly directed arm of the sill projecting inwardly beyond the vehicle side wall and being secured to the top of said webs, a plate projecting upwardly from said floor panel adjacent the inner surface of the vehicle side wall, said extension having reduced width in the longitudinal region of said plate and bein arranged in this region entirely on the outside of said plate.

8. In an underframe structure for vehicles such as railway cars; a shear panel extending substantially over the width and a major part of the length of the underframe, said panel having a horizontal main web and upright reinforcing webs, the latter extending transversely to and being spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the structure; a side sill having an inwardly facing channel section and a downward- 1y directed flange along the inner margin of the lower horizontal wall of the channel; said shear panel with its upright webs telescopingly fitting into the channel section and being connected with 5 the side walls thereof; and a vertical plate extending longitudinally over a minor part of the length of the structure and vertically across the mouth of said channel section through an interruption in said horizontal main web, said plate l0 having its lower portion overlappingly secured to said side sill flange and projecting upwardly beyond the side sill for attachment to the inside of a side wall of the vehicle adjoining the underframe structure.

9. In a body for Vehicles, such as railway cars, an underframe side sill having an inwardly facing channel section and a downwardly projecting flange or web along the inner margin of the lower wall of the channel section, a side wall secured 20 to said side sill on top of the latter, a plate extending longitudinally over a small part of the length of the body and vertically across the mouth of said channel section, said plate being overlappingly secured to said flange of the side sill and to the inner surface of said side wall.

RAYMOND J. THERIAULT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the so file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 723,067 Summers Mar. 17, 190-3 35 864,477 Lipschutz Aug. 27, 1907 1,749,473 Des Islets Mar. 4, 1980 1,769,574 Gwinn July 1, 1930 1,900,711 Howard Mar. 7, 1933 2,125,047 Ditchfield July 26, 1938 40 2,183,054 Tesseyman et a1. Dec. 12, 1939 2,286,954 Clarke et a1 June 16, 1942 2,335,216 Suckfield Nov. 23, 1943 2,358,405 Lohse et a1 Sept. 19, 1944 2,361,276 Dufiie Oct. 24, 1944 

